Karnataka Bank EDF Form

Karnataka Bank guide · updated 4 Oct 2026

EDF for Karnataka Bank: how to fill and submit it

If your foreign earnings come into a Karnataka Bank account, you file the monthly EDF with Karnataka Bank as your AD bank, through whichever channel the bank's published EDF policy specifies. Software exporters have one extra choice: since SOFTEX was replaced, an AD bank such as Karnataka Bank can receive your software EDF directly, so STPI certification is no longer mandatory.

Key takeaways

• Karnataka Bank is your AD bank for invoices whose payments land in your Karnataka Bank account.
• Software exporters outside an SEZ can file with the AD bank or with STPI. Pick one route and stay consistent.
• Get the branch's AD code and the bank's accepted EDF channel in writing before your first filing.
• Invoices up to ₹10 lakh can be closed on your declaration; larger ones need invoice, payment proof and matching instructions.
• File within 30 days from the end of the invoice month, covering every invoice of that month on one form.

Bank or STPI: a decision for software exporters

Until October 2026, software exporters routinely went through STPI for SOFTEX forms. Under the 2026 Regulations, software is declared on the same single EDF, and AD banks are specified authorities on par with STPI.

A small software firm that also sells some non-software services may find it simpler to send everything to the bank. An established STPI unit may prefer to keep its current routine. Our STPI glossary entry and the article on moving from SOFTEX to the EDF explain the background. Either way, ask your branch whether it has any preference on how software EDFs are presented.

The document pack

Think of each month's filing as a small pack you assemble once and file once.

A ready EDF cover letter format helps keep the pack consistent month to month.

Finding out how Karnataka Bank accepts EDFs

Each bank has to publish its own policy on accepting EDFs, which is why the process differs between banks. Rather than relying on second-hand advice, ask your branch manager or relationship manager:

• Should monthly EDFs be handed in at the branch, emailed, or uploaded online?
• Is the AD code for our account our branch's own, or a linked forex branch's?
• Do you need the form on letterhead, with a seal, or in a particular file format?
• How will you confirm the EDF has been recorded in EDPMS?

Banks change contact points and portals from time to time, so get the answer from the bank itself and note the date you received it.

A worked example

Coastline Software Pvt Ltd in Mangaluru builds inventory software for distributors in the Gulf and Europe. It banks with Karnataka Bank and decided in October 2026 to file software EDFs with the bank instead of STPI. In February 2027 it raised these invoices:

The February EDF, due 30 March 2027, has three rows in Part 2B. Field 1.1 is Software, field 1.4 Internet, and field 1.22 totals ₹20,56,800.

The two smaller invoices sit comfortably under ₹10 lakh, so once paid they can be closed through Coastline's quarterly realisation declaration. The Danish invoice is above the limit, so when the euros arrive Coastline will send the invoice, the FIRA and a short matching request quoting the EDF month and invoice number.

FIRA from Karnataka Bank

For each remittance, keep the bank's FIRA, FIRC or advice. It proves the money came in and shows the purpose code. For software, the code might be P0802 (software consultancy and implementation) or P0807 (off-site software exports), depending on the work, but confirm the code with the bank. A FIRA is also the document your CA will want for GST refund claims, if you have any.

If the purpose code is wrong, ask for a correction immediately rather than at year end.

A monthly routine that works

1. First working day: export the previous month's invoice list from your accounts.
2. By the 10th: fill the EDF and get it signed.
3. By the 15th: submit through the bank's confirmed channel.
4. A week later: confirm it has been recorded; note any reference.
5. Every payment: save the FIRA against the invoice; send matching requests for invoices above ₹10 lakh.
6. Each quarter: give one realisation declaration for paid invoices up to ₹10 lakh.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file my software EDF with Karnataka Bank instead of STPI?

Yes. Under the 2026 Regulations, AD banks are specified authorities on par with STPI for software exports outside an SEZ, and STPI certification is no longer mandatory. Confirm with your branch how it wants software EDFs presented.

Is there a Karnataka Bank-specific EDF form?

No. Every bank receives the standard form from the Annex to the Regulations. The bank's published policy sets how you submit it, and any covering formalities.

How do I close an invoice above ₹10 lakh with Karnataka Bank?

Once payment arrives, give the bank the invoice, the payment evidence such as the FIRA or bank advice, and instructions matching the payment to the invoice and EDF month. Invoices up to ₹10 lakh can instead be closed on your declaration.

Where do I get the AD code for my Karnataka Bank account?

From your branch, on request. It is different from your IFSC and SWIFT code. Ask in writing and keep the reply with your EDF records.

What is the deadline for February 2027 invoices?

Invoices dated in February 2027 must be declared within 30 days from the end of that month, which is 30 March 2027. The full value must be realised within 9 months of each invoice date.

Bottom line

Karnataka Bank customers follow the same monthly rhythm as everyone else, with the useful option of keeping software EDFs at the bank. Prepare your form with the free Karnataka Bank EDF form, confirm the channel with your branch, and keep each month's pack together.

Key dates

*Nine months from each invoice date; twelve if invoiced in rupees. Full 12-month calendar · Due date calculator

"Strike out whichever is not applicable"

Part 4 offers pairs of alternatives — I/We, buyer/third party, will be received/has been received, foreign exchange/Indian Rupees. Your answers in step 5 decide which words stay; we draw the line through the rest, exactly as you would with a pen.

The layout follows the structure of RBI's Annex (Parts 1–5, fields 1.1–1.22). If your bank hands you its own printed version, use theirs. This tool is a document generator, not legal or tax advice — you remain the declarant.